Plan E
by Wotcher-Tonks
Summary: James and the Five Plans to Win Evans' Heart. Written for the five things challenge, "Five times James asked Lily out" Enjoy.


**Plan E **

* * *

_I._ It is third year,and all of the third year students are excited about their upcoming trip to Hogsmeade. Of course, James has been going there for years with the Marauders, but that doesn't matter. Because this time, Evans will be going. Hopefully, (if his plan goes right), with him.

He and Sirius have been planning this for _ages_, though he suspects Sirius is just going along because he wants James to shut up already. Nevertheless, Sirius is his partner in Plan A- (A for Asking Nicely).

He takes a deep breath. They are all in the common room, and the fire casts light on the faces of numerous students doing homework. Well, okay, some students doing homework. The rest are copying. But never mind.

Sirius sits next to Evans on the squashy crimson sofa.

"Hey, Evans!"

Lily looks up from the parchment she is frantically scribbling on.

"Yes, Black?"

"Well, between you and me, don't you think James looks particularly handsome tonight?"

Evans gives him a curious look.

James is sitting on an armchair on the other side of the room, hair mussed up and head bent over his Transfiguration textbook. Of course, he's not really reading it, he's watching the plan unfold from behind his messy fringe. Remus sits next to him on another armchair, only he is actually reading. Peter is playing Exploding Snap with Emmeline Vance, but he is watching the event too.

"I hadn't really thought about it," she says, sounded faintly puzzled.

James holds his breath.

"No, not really," she finishes.

James lets out the breath.

Time for Step Two. He shuts the book, then nonchalantly walks over to where Evans and Sirius are sitting.

Sliding onto the sofa next to them, he says, "Talking about me, Evans? I don't blame you."

Evans makes a noise of disgust.

"Anyways," James continues, "How about you do me the pleasure of accompanying me to Hogsmeade this weekend?"

"No." Evans says in a bored tone.

"Are you sure? I'd really like it."

"I wouldn't."

"All right, you've made your point," James says, throwing up his hands and giving her a wounded look.

"I hope so," she says coolly, not looking up from her homework.

James retreats. Sirius gets up too, saying," You should give him a chance, Evans."

She makes no response, but James thinks he sees her blink in surprise.

Another plan foiled. Oh, well. He and Sirius will think of _something_.

_II._ It is fourth year, and yet another Hogsmeade weekend approaches. James sidles up to Evans. It is time for Plan B (B for Begging)

"Evans, want to go with me to Hogsmeade with me?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Yes, you'll go with me?"

"No."

"Please?"

"I said no, Potter!"

"Pretty please?" he asks, batting his eyelashes.

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

"Are you positive?"

Finally she hexes him, and as he stands there with tentacles sprouting from his forehead, he feels completely ridiculous.

_III. _It is fifth year, and it is the day after "The Incident". James has never felt worse about cursing Snape in his life. Evans hated him. She really did. He walks up to her in the Common Room, where she is sitting, reading with red-rimmed eyes. The Fat Lady told him what Snape had said to Evans, and he feels terrible.

"Go away, Potter." She spits in acid tones.

He flinches.

"Look Evans, I'm sorry. And I promise…"

"Promise what?" she hisses.

Feeling utterly stupid, James replies.

"I promise I will never, ever, ever lay a finger on Snape ever again if you just give me a chance."

"Potter?" she says.

"Yes, Evans?" he asks eagerly.

"Well, James," inside he revels at her using his name for the first time, "You know what I would do anything for?"

"What?" he asks, not seeing it coming.

"For you to never talk to me, ask me out, or even lay eyes on me ever again! All you ever do is hex the people I care about. What could possibly make you think that I would even want to stay in the same _room_ as you, much less willingly go with you on a date? You're such a bloody idiot, Potter. Hexing whoever you fancy hexing, strutting through the hallways with your stupid friends, messing up your idiotic hair! You don't have a clue, do you?"

James can feel his face grow pale as she goes on, saying cruel, biting things that seem perfectly calculated to hit him where it hurts.

He stands there, shocked, for two hours. No one has _ever_ spoken to him with such vitriol, not even Snape.

First years poke him hesitantly, and run away giggling, but he doesn't respond. He doesn't feel anything, not until Moony comes and guides him gently to the dormitory. Then he starts to feel it.

He has never hated himself more in his life, as he sees, really sees, what an absolute self centered prat he has been.

The Marauders cheer him up the best he can, by disappearing and coming back an hour later with Butterbeer and Fizzing Whizbees from Hogsmeade.

But none of it works, and as James sits motionless on his bed, staring despondently into space, all he can think about besides Lily is _Plan C (C for Compromise) has failed. Failed miserably. _

_IV. _They are on the Hogwarts Express, and Lily comes to the compartment where Sirius, Peter, and James are sitting making plans for the new term (Remus is in the Prefect's meeting). Their sixth year. James still looks slightly miserable, and Lily notices that, and feels extremely guilty. Did she really cause that change in James?

She has ceased calling him Potter in her head, her feeble attempt at a kind of reconciliation.

Peter notices her first, and says, "Aren't you supposed to be with the Prefects?"

Lily makes no sign of even hearing him, and Sirius turns around to see her.

James looks down at the floor, suddenly absorbed in a stray Chocolate Frog card.

"What do you want, Evans?" Sirius says coolly. She winces at his tone, but then realizes she probably deserved it.

"Well, I-I…I wanted to-"

"Wanted to what? Make James feel even worse?" Sirius asks bitingly.

Each word stabs her in the heart.

"Well, I-I-"

"Just leave." Peter says coldly.

She looks at James. He is looking right at her, and the flood of emotion his hazel eyes engender threatens to overwhelm her. She searches them, and she sees fear, anger, resentment, despair, and longing. She realizes then. He _loved_ her.

With a sob, she flees.

As the compartment door shuts, James says softly, "That went well."

She doesn't hear that though, as she runs from the compartment, almost bowling over the witch with the food trolley. Her eyes are blinded with tears.

Her plan has failed. Plan D, (D for Desperation)

V. It is seventh year, and the Head Girl is waiting in the Head Compartment on the Hogwarts Express for the Head Boy.

James enters, sees Lily, and starts to walk out again. She doesn't miss the Head Boy badge pinned to his robe, and she calls out, "Wait!"

The pleading in her tone strikes James, and he sits down opposite her, arms folded expectantly. "Well?" he says icily.

All last year he had ignored her, and she him.

"Well, " she begins. "I've made a right mess of things."

James nods.

"I never took you seriously, James. I never stopped and considered that you have feelings, just like me. And I'm sorry for that. I should have given you a chance, should have been more open-minded. Instead all I could see was your actions, but not the way you really were."

She looks at him. He isn't getting up, but he's not looking too pleased, either.

"You're such much more than some silly boy who hexed Snape. You're kind, smart, funny, and I'm…I'm sorry, that's what I am. I don't know what I can do to make it up to you, but it's rather important that I do. It's vital to me. You…you're vital to me."

James' stomach flips over at her words, but he decides to wait it out.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking, and I feel terrible. I would do anything to have you talk to me again, to call me Evans, to bother me about going to Hogsmeade with you." She gives a funny little laugh, and a tear slips down her pale cheek.

"So…I'm sorry. I feel wretched. I would quite understand if you don't forgive me. If I were you, I probably wouldn't forgive me either. So, that's it. Thanks for listening, James."

His stomach gives the usual somersault at her using his name.

" So, I'll, I'll be going, I guess."

She stands up, and James stands up too.

Cautiously, ever-so slowly, he raises his hand to cup her cheek. She stands statue still, and thrills at the feel of his fingers.

He gently wipes a stray tear away with his thumb, and whispers, "I forgive you. And...I owe you an apology too. I guess I owe a lot of people an apology. But especially you. And I want to thank you for pointing out to me how utterly-"he cringes, and Lily cringes too at the memory of her harsh words"-utterly prat-like I was acting. So...I'm sorry, too. I hope you can forgive, though _I_ would quite understand if you don't forgive _me_."

Hazel eyes stare into emerald, and she sees nothing but kindness in his eyes, kindness, and something else…could it be love?

And he leans down, and brushes his lips across hers.

The feelings running through her eyes as he pulls away and looks again are the same as his. It's love, love and forgiveness, and…home.

"So,_Lily_" he breathes, "How about that trip to Hogsmeade?"

"I-I'd like that."

She notices-how could she not?-that for the very first time, he has called her by her name.

And she knows then, really knows, that they are meant to be, (as she had suspected all summer).

"I'd like that too," he says.

Plan E has worked for both of them (E for Everlasting Acceptance).


End file.
